Indian captain Shubman Gill has opened up about the heated confrontation at the Lord’s Test, stating that England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett arriving 90 seconds late to the crease was “not in the spirit of the game.”
Tensions Spill Over from Lord’s
The intense rivalry between India and England continued to be a talking point even before the fourth Test in Manchester. Shubman Gill, addressing the media, was asked about the incident involving England’s openers at Lord’s that fueled the on-field aggression.
Gill directly addressed the delay, emphasizing that a 90-second late arrival wasn’t in line with sportsmanship. He hinted that there were several preceding events that contributed to the fiery exchange.
“To be able to come 90 seconds late on the crease is not something that I would think comes in the spirit of the game,” Gill stated, adding that while he wasn’t proud of his reaction, it was a build-up of events.
Gill’s Side of the Story
The Indian skipper went on to clarify the incident, which quickly went viral after the match. He explained that on the third evening, England had merely seven minutes of play left.
Despite the short time, the English batsmen were significantly late. “Not 10, not 20, 90 seconds late,” Gill stressed, highlighting the precise nature of the delay.
He acknowledged that teams might try to reduce the number of overs played in certain situations. However, Gill insisted there’s a proper way to go about it, implying England’s approach was disrespectful.
The On-Field Confrontation
The incident culminated in India bowling only one over that evening, much to the visible frustration of bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah was particularly annoyed when Crawley pulled out mid-way through his run-up.
This led to Gill and the slip cordon engaging in a verbal exchange with Crawley. Moments later, after a delivery brushed Crawley’s hand and he called for a physio, Gill was seen wagging his finger at the English opener.
Gill defended India’s reaction, stating that while physios are allowed if a player is genuinely hit, their response wasn’t unprovoked. He emphasized that the Indian team had no intention of sparking such a confrontation.
Emotions Run High in Cricket
The Indian captain admitted that emotions can run wild in high-stakes matches. He explained that when players witness actions they deem unfair or inappropriate, their feelings can override their composure.
“You’re playing a game, you’re playing to win, and there are a lot of emotions involved,” Gill said, reflecting on the intensity of the moment. “When you see there are things happening that should not happen, sometimes the emotions come out of nowhere.”
- Shubman Gill believes England openers were 90 seconds late to the crease, violating the spirit of the game.
- The incident occurred with only seven minutes of play remaining on Day 3 of the Lord’s Test.
- Gill’s confrontation with Zak Crawley and Jasprit Bumrah’s frustration stemmed from this delay and other preceding events.
- Gill highlighted that while physio calls are allowed, the overall context of the incident was unsportsmanlike.
With England currently leading the series 2-1, these lingering tensions set the stage for an even more exciting fourth Test in Manchester, which commenced on Wednesday.
